"Late last night, the National Defense Authorization Act's (H.R. 4310) final conference report was released. Unfortunately, we now know that language which would have prevented the United States Air Force (USAF) from ending the 188th Fighter Wing's A-10 mission is not included in the final bill.

"Together as a delegation, we have fought this uphill battle, knowing the odds were stacked against us. We are extremely disheartened by the USAF's decision which was based on the capstone principle of maintaining one flying mission per state rather than on a detailed analysis of cost-efficiency.

"But this is not the end of the road, and no final decisions have been made. We will continue to fight to ensure that the 188th - which has a remarkable history and record and excels by every metric possible - has a vital mission in the USAF as it is modernized."